Live updates of the rugby test between the Wallabies and France in Paris.<\/p>\n
Australia captain Harry Wilson said on Friday that he was \u201cdevastated\u201d after fly-half Carter Gordon was ruled out of this weekend\u2019s Autumn Nations Series game with France in Paris.<\/p>\n
Gordon was named by head coach Joe Schmidt on Thursday in the starting XV for Saturday\u2019s Test at the Stade de France, but less than 24 hours later he was forced to pull out after failing to recover from a thigh problem.<\/p>\n
He has been replaced by Tane Edmed in the run-on team for the struggling Wallabies.<\/p>\n
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.<\/a><\/p>\n Hooker Billy Pollard has also been ruled out with Matt Faessler promoted to the starting line-up.<\/p>\n Gordon, 24, was in line for just his second Test appearance since playing three times for the Wallabies at the 2023 World Cup.<\/p>\n Since then he had briefly switched to rugby league before moving back to union last month.<\/p>\n He struggled with the thigh niggle during his first appearance back for Australia, in the 26-19 defeat to Italy earlier this month.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s worked so hard since getting into this group and he just hasn\u2019t been able to catch a break, which we all feel devastated for him,\u201d Wilson told reporters.<\/p>\n \u201cHe had a really good week\u2019s preparation and gave us a lot of confidence.<\/p>\n \u201cI think there\u2019s going to be plenty more opportunities of Carter Gordon playing in gold,\u201d No.8 Wilson added.<\/p>\n The Brumbies\u2019 Edmed will make just his ninth Test appearance at the cauldron of a packed Stade de France.<\/p>\n AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.<\/a><\/p>\n His most recent international start came in the 25-7 defeat to England on November 1, which began the Wallabies\u2019 disastrous European tour.<\/p>\n \u201cNow it\u2019s Tane\u2019s turn to step up and lead us,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve played a lot of footy with Tane this year, so it\u2019s not as if it\u2019s someone we haven\u2019t played with.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are really familiar with him and we\u2019re really excited to see him go there for our final game of the year,\u201d the 25-year-old added.<\/p>\n Schmidt\u2019s Australia are one defeat away from a first winless European tour since 1958 and a record 10th loss in a calendar year.<\/p>\n \u201cIt definitely has been challenging,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt hurts us so much and all we want is success in the gold jersey.\u201d<\/p>\n An additional element to the fixture is the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw on December 3.<\/p>\n If the tournament hosts beat France by 16 points or more, then they will leapfrog Les Bleus into the top six seeds, claiming a more favourable set-up for the group stages and potential knock-outs.<\/p>\n \u201cMy parents called me this morning to say there was something about the seedings,\u201d France captain Gregory Alldritt told reporters.<\/p>\n \u201cI hadn\u2019t even looked at it.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve worked hard this week and the past four weeks to win.<\/p>\n